Since ancient times, gold had been held in a high position as the most valuable precious metal and used mainly in the manufacture of ornaments and other objects that were considered treasures. In recent years, a recognition of the health-promoting benefits of gold prompted production of healthy bracelets made of pure gold, sake wines containing gold foils, and so on. However, these “health” products failed to prove sufficient efficacies on human health beyond their luxury image derived from the use of expensive 24K gold. These days, the healthful benefits of gold are again drawing the attention of today's health-conscious consumers, and it is now known that gold exhibits its health-promoting functions more prominently in the forms of gold ions and fine gold particles than in solid or foil form.
There are keen interests in the potential health-promoting functions and healing effects of gold ions and fine gold particles. Gold is now known to have significant health benefits (“Gold Water” Cured Intractable Diseases the Doctors Gave Up Treating, written by Tonpu Takada), and the public is awaiting further technological advance in this field. In the use of gold ions and fine gold particles in a water solution or aqueous dispersion, however, several issues must be addressed before these applications can be put to practical use.
As described above, waters containing gold in some form are widely known (see p. 64 of the aforementioned book). However, a majority of these products have either gold foil or gold powder simply dispersed in water. Since the methods to melt gold itself have been limited to those using aqua regia or a gold electrolyte, it has been extremely difficult to dissolve gold ions or fine gold particles in water.
Efforts have been underway to develop new technologies that will solve these problems and embody the potential health-promoting functions and healing effects of gold ions and fine gold particles. However, only a limited number of technologies relating to this field are disclosed in the Publication of Unexamined Patent Application, which is considered a yardstick for the progress of technological development. This suggests that the need for new technology regarding the application of gold ions and fine gold particles is still very high.
The published technologies include: the technology to mix with polyolefin molding resin an inorganic antibacterial agent formulated by fixing gold ions or other ions that have an antibacterial property to a zeolite ion-exchange group, in order to provide an antibacterial beverage tank that is resistant to saprophytic bacteria eluting from the tank material such as polyethylene and thereby prevents the negative effects of dissolved chemicals to preserve the taste and flavor of the drink (Registered Japanese Utility Model No. 3046284); the technology to retain mineral carriers in water and stimulate them by adding acid or conducting electrolysis to release minerals into water, in order to provide mineral water containing gold ions and other minerals beneficial to the human body (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-220580); the technology to dissolve gold or other heavy metal into an acid ion water of pH 2.6 to 4.5 or oxidation potential water of pH 2.7 or below, both of which are produced in an electrolytic water purifier, in order to produce low-cost antiseptic water offering excellent sterilizing effect (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-10772); and the technology to uniformly mix gold foil or other additive with crushed ice granules, pack an ice-making container with the mixture of additive and ice granules, and then gradually introduce water from the bottom of the container to form ice, in order to produce blocks of healthy ice in which gold foil or other additive is distributed evenly (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-280841).
However, except for the technology to retain mineral carriers in water and stimulate them by adding acid or conducting electrolysis to release minerals into water, in order to provide mineral water containing gold ions and other minerals beneficial to the human body (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-220580), which is generating an interest, these published technologies are far from solving the aforementioned problems, and essentially they are not capable of providing solutions.
However, except for the technology to retain mineral carriers in water and stimulate them by adding acid or conducting electrolysis to release minerals into water, in order to provide mineral water containing gold ions and other minerals beneficial to the human body (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-10772), which is generating an interest, these published technologies are far from solving the aforementioned problems, and essentially they are not capable of providing solutions.
Application of the activity of gold ions and ultra-fine gold particles to the production of bioactive materials, health foods, medicines, etc., provides an important area where technological advance must be sought, since the results will directly affect our daily life. As use of gold ions and ultra-fine gold particles is expected to grow, the public eagerly awaits further development of application technologies.